Publications by authors named "Franz Freudenthal"

Background: Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a result of afterload-increasing pathologies including untreated hypertension and aortic stenosis. It features progressive adverse cardiac remodeling, myocardial dysfunction, capillary rarefaction, and interstitial fibrosis often leading to heart failure.

Objectives: This study aimed to establish a novel porcine model of pressure-overload-induced heart failure and to determine the effect of inhibition of microribonucleic acid 132 (miR-132) on heart failure development in this model.

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Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of the Nit-Occlud ASD-R (PFM S.R.L, La Paz, Bolivia) in the percutaneous closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD).

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Objectives: Current materials for closure of cardiac defects such as ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are associated with compliance mismatch and a chronic inflammatory response. Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a non-degradable biomaterial with promising properties such as high mechanical strength, favourable elasticity and a negligible inflammatory reaction. The aim of this study was the evaluation of a BNC patch for VSD closure and the investigation of its in vivo biocompatibility in a chronic pig model.

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Currently, there are no clinically approved surgical glues that are nontoxic, bind strongly to tissue, and work well within wet and highly dynamic environments within the body. This is especially relevant to minimally invasive surgery that is increasingly performed to reduce postoperative complications, recovery times, and patient discomfort. We describe the engineering of a bioinspired elastic and biocompatible hydrophobic light-activated adhesive (HLAA) that achieves a strong level of adhesion to wet tissue and is not compromised by preexposure to blood.

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Objective: Recently, there has been increased interest in minimally invasive mitral valve prolapse repair techniques; however, these techniques have limitations. A new technique was developed for treating mitral valve prolapse that uses a novel leaflet plication clip to selectively plicate the prolapsed leaflet segment. The clip's efficacy was tested in an animal model.

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Current classifications of pulmonary hypertension have contributed a great deal to our understanding of pulmonary vascular disease, facilitated drug trials, and improved our understanding of congenital heart disease in adult survivors. However, these classifications are not applicable readily to pediatric disease. The classification system that we propose is based firmly in clinical practice.

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The members of the Pediatric Task Force of the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI) were aware of the need to develop a functional classification of pulmonary hypertension in children. The proposed classification follows the same pattern and uses the same criteria as the Dana Point pulmonary hypertension specific classification for adults. Modifications were necessary for children, since age, physical growth and maturation influences the way in which the functional effects of a disease are expressed.

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Background: Patent ducti arteriosi (PDAs) are more frequent and larger at high altitude than at sea level. A novel PDA closure device, the Nitocclud PDA-R, is designed specifically for both large and medium size PDAs. The initial clinical experience with a new nitinol-based device in high altitude patients with large PDAs is described.

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Background: Interventional closure of patent arterial duct has become an accepted alternative to surgical closure. Clinical trial with "Nit-Occlud® PDA-R".

Methods And Results: To assess the safety and efficacy of the device, we performed a prospective clinical study between June, 2009 and December, 2010 in La Paz, Bolivia.

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Objectives: Aim of our study was the preclinical evaluation of a new self expanding device for interventional closure of muscular ventricular septal defects (mVSDs) in an acute pig model.

Background: Devices currently in use for closure of mVSDs still have their limitations. The deployment of the disks is dependent from the expansion of the stent, which can be associated with problems for sufficient closure of the mVSDs.

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Purpose: The objective of this study was to show the use of 3-dimensional printing models to fabricate a custom-made occluder for device embolization of an anastomotic leak after replacement of the ascending aorta and the aortic arch in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patient.

Description: We present a 50-year-old HIV-infected patient who underwent ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement for a type A dissection, and who had an aortic arch pseudoaneurysm (sized 5 x 5 x 4 cm) with a slit-shaped entrance hole located anteriorly to the implanted supra-aortic vessels. The patient's 128-slice computed tomography data were visualized and reconstructed.

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Objective: Therapy for muscular ventricular septal defects beyond the moderator band, especially in neonates and infants, has always been challenging for both surgeons and cardiologists. Recently, we established a patch closure hybrid therapy for muscular ventricular septal defects. In this study, we evaluated it in a long-term porcine model.

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Objectives: We evaluated a novel technique for hybrid patch closure of muscular ventricular septal defects (mVSDs) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in a pig model.

Background: So far, surgical and interventional therapies for mVSDs have been associated with significant morbidity, especially in newborns and infants. Thus, it is essential to develop new techniques.

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Objectives: Safe and effective device closure of ventricular septal defects remains a challenge. We have developed a transcardiac approach to close ventricular septal defects using a patch delivery and fixation system that can be secured under real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic guidance.

Methods: In Yorkshire pigs (n = 8) a coring device was introduced into the left ventricle through a purse-string suture placed on the left ventricular apex, and a muscular ventricular septal defect was created.

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Background: Current real-time three-dimensional echocardiography systems (RT3DE) can provide sufficient visualization to permit atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. However, detailed visualization of small objects inside the heart is still suboptimal because of limited resolution, which is a limitation for clinical application. We evaluate the complementary use of videocardioscopy in image-guided ASD closure.

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Background: Percutaneous closure of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) is usually performed under x-ray in combination with ultrasound guidance. We tested the feasibility of applying magnetic resonance (MR) guidance for percutaneous closure of PFO in an animal model, thus avoiding the disadvantage of ionizing radiation.

Methods And Results: Real-time MRI with radial or spiral k-space filling (15 frames per second) on an interventional 1.

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The Duct-Occlud Occlusion System (ATG Co., Malta, Europe) is the only coil-type device that has been specifically designed to close the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The Duct-Occlud coil has no Dacron feathers.

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